Valve



M. R. FIRTH Nov. 6, 1951 vALvE 2 SHEETS-I-SHEET l Filed May 14, 1946 i INVENTOR. /V/AFec/E R. FJRTH M. R. FIRTH 2,573,761

VALVE I 2 sHEE'ls-#SHEE'F 2 Nov. 6, 1951 Filed May 14, 194e m m T. R WF. 1R .C m M ZM mw mw. E@ Nw A \\\f NW NNN. n n n CUS l iN v" |M| Hrm Patented Nov. 6, 1951 UNITED STAT ES PATENT OFFICE VALVE lliarcelt.` Firth, Rodessa, La.

Application May 14, 1946, Serial No. 669,665

1 Claim` This invention relates to a valve, and more particularly to such a valve adapted to be automatically opened upon the achievement of apredetermined pressure thereagainst.

A primary object of this invention is the provision of an improved valve means adapted to be utilized in associated with oil wellsl or the like and positioned in the tubing of such wells,

adapted, when the .pressure below the valve achieves a certain predetermined point, to open to permit the escape of fluid below the valve, and, as the pressure decreases to close relatively slowly until the previously predetermined pressure is again built up within the tubing.

An additional object of this invention is the provision of such a device which may be readily adjusted to accommodate a variety of pressures at which the valve is adapted to open.

A further object ofthe invention is the provision of such a device which isv sturdy andadurable in construction, reliable and eliicent in operation, and relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture, assemble and install.

Still other objects reside in the combinations of elements, arrangements of parts, and features' of construction, all as will be more fully pointed out hereinafter and shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of this inventive concept.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentaryv longitudinal sectional view, partially broken away, through one form of valve mechanism embodying features of the instant inventive concept.

Figure, 2 is a continuation of Figure 1 showing the opposite end of the device.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Figure 1, as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Figure 1, as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 5 is a sectional viewy taken substantially along the line 5-5 of Figure 1,A as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 6--6 of Figure 2, as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings, a swedge nipple I0 is provided with exterior peripheral threads at its lower extremity adapted to engage in the well tubing, and exterior peripheral threads I2 at its upper extremity adapted'to engage corresponding interior threads |3 carried4 by the lower extremity ci a sleeve I4. The interior upper portion of the swedge nipple I0 car.- ries threads I5' adapted to he engaged by corre sponding threads |6 carried at the lower extremity of a tubular portion I'I of a skeleton frameY member generallyv indicated at |8. The. tubular portion terminates in a bore within .which isv positioned a oating valve seat 2U tapered at its inner edge, as indicated at 2| for the accommodation of a valve 22 carried by a valve steam 23. The frame I8 above the conical portion l1 extends into two oppositely disposedV arcuate members 24 engaging the interior of theY side walls of the sleeve I4 and provided with a transversely extending portion 24 'provided with a channel within which is seated a bearingV insert 26 held in position by a bearing cap (not shown) secured.

.l in position, as by suitable bolts 2l', forming a journal within which the valvev stem 23 is slidably movable.

Above the bearing just described, the valve stem 23 is provided with an enlarged portion 30' as a guide for a coil spring 38, the opposite end of'which is engaged by a corresponding pin 39 forming the extremity of a screw 40 threadedly engaged by an offset lug 4| extending from each adjacent frame portion 24.

Cut-away portions 45 are formed in the por tions 24 of the frame member and register with apertures 46 in the sleeve I4l to permit access to the screws for varying the tension -exerted by the springs 38.

It will now be seen that when -the pressure against the valve 22 reaches a predetermined point in excess of the pressure exerted bythe springs 38, the valve will be moved relatively rapidly from its seat until movement thereof is stopped by the engagement of the valve with the transverse member I8. Obviously, such motion will be effected rapidly by the disengagement of the rollers 33 from the groove 3|, once the predetermined pressure necessary to effect the unseating of the rollers from their associated groove has been achieved.

An additional journal for the shaft 30 is provided on a transverse member 48 provided with a groove having a lower bearing insert 49 therein and provided with a bearing cap 50 including an upper bearing insert 5|. Cap 50 is provided with flanges 52 through apertures in which pass screws 53 for securing the bearing cap to the member 48.

Referring now to Figure 2, it will be seen that the enlarged stem portion 30 terminates in a threaded socket adapted to engage the threaded extremity of a bolt member 60, having a ilat side 6|, and being provided with lock nuts 62 and 63 to permit adjustment thereof. The lock nut 63 is abutted by the extremity of a coil spring 64, the opposite end of which seats against a transverse bearing member 65, the threaded portion of the bolt terminating adjacent the lower extremity of the spring. The smooth portion of the member 60 passes through a threaded bushing 66 seated in a suitable threaded aperture in a recess 61 in a cylinder 68 secured, as by suitable bolts 69, to extending portions 10 of the skeleton frame members 24, Spring 64 serves to hold in position a suitable sealing and packing gasket surrounding the smooth portion 'l2 which, in effect, forms a continuation of the valve stem 30. The extremity of the member T2 terminates in a recess 13 interiorly of the cylinder 79 and is secured, as by a nut 14, to a piston 'I5 provided with piston rings '16. A reduced portion 7? of the member 'l2 extends through a suitable aperture in the piston 75, and is threaded to accommodate the nut 14.

The piston 15 is provided with a port 89 including an enlarged lower portion 8|, the juncture of the two portions forming a valve seat against which a spring-pressed ball valve 82 is adapted to seat. The spring is indicated at 83, and a plug B4 serves to hold the same in position, thus permitting the egress of fluid from the chamber 13, but precluding ingress of iiuid thereto through the port 80.

A second passageway 81 is also provided in the piston 'I5 and has threadedly seated therein a bleed plug 88 having a passageway 89 therethrough to permit seepage of fluid into the chamber 13. Obviously, the rate of passage of such iluid is dependent on the size of the bleed passage 89.

The upper end of the cylinder 68 is provided with a threaded plug 90 having a nut 9| aiiixed thereto to permit rotation thereof, whereby access may be had to the plug 88 for suitable replacement of the same to vary the size of the port 89 in accordance with the plug utilized to regulate the flow of fluid into the cylinder.

The upper extremity of the sleeve I4 terminates in a reduced portion 92 having an exteriorly threaded flange 93 to permit engagement with adjacent sections of well tubing.

Now, from the foregoing the operation of the device should be readily understandable. When the valve 22 is opened in the manner previously described, the piston 15 is forced inwardly against the pressure of fluid contained in the aperture 'I3 Within the cylinder 68, the ball valve 82 permitting free egress of the fluid contained therein. After the piston has reached its uppermost limit of travel, the pressure within the chamber 'I3 is slowly equalized by passage of fluid through the bleed port 89, the duration of such passage being governed, as previously indicated, by the size of the bleed port. As the pressure equalizes, the spring 64 serves to bias the valve towards closed position until such time as the rollers 33 again seat in the groove 3|. At this time the valve is completely closed and remains so until suiiicient pressure has been built up on the lower side of the valve 22 to reopen the same abruptly in the manner previously described.

From the foregoing, it will now be seen that there is herein provided a device which accomplishes all the objects of this invention, and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as many modications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

In a valve assembly, a skeleton frame member having a tapered valve seat adjacent one end thereof, a valve positioned within said skeleton frame member adjacent the valve seat and mounted for movement toward and away from said valve seat, a valve stem positioned within said skeleton frame member in alignment with said Valve and having one end xedly secured to said valve, said valve stem being provided with' a circumferential groove adjacent to and spaced from said one end, a pair of oppositely disposed bell crank members extending longitudinally of said valve stem and positioned within said skeleton frame member adjacent the groove in said valve stem, said bell crank members being each pivotally connected intermediate their ends to said skeleton frame member, one leg of each of said bell crank members carrying a transversely disposed roller engageable with an adjacent portion of said groove, a transversely disposed rotatable screw positioned adjacent the other leg of each of said bell crank members, a coil spring having one end supported on each of said screws and having the other end in contacting engagement with the other leg of the bell crank member adjacent thereto to thereby bias the roller carried by said one leg of said adjacent bell crank member into contact with said groove and maintain the Valve stem in a position such that the valve is in seating relation with said valve seat.

MARCIE R. FIRTH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this patent: I

UNITED STATES PATENTS Bryant Dec. 19, 1944 

